Uncovering the Mystery Parts 1-4
by Tammy
Summary: Ryder vows to uncover Jake's secret. Updated!!!


Title: Uncovering the Mystery (part 1)  
Author: Tammy  
Email: ficlover@yahoo.com  
Rating: PG-13  
Category: Other  
Disclaimer: I don't own them.  
Summary: Ryder vows to uncover the mystery behind Jake Pratt   
Note: Feedback is greatly appreciated – good or bad, just let me know.   
  
  
  
Hamilton Flemming is such a loser. He's the dean's son, and he walks around here in a   
daze. If I were the dean's son, I'd be … poor – but besides that, I'd rule this place. Hell,   
I nearly rule it now. I wouldn't be running around here lost in the clouds taking pictures   
and chasing that lanky lemon, Jake Pratt.  
  
It's so easy to get a rise out of Hammie and the other guys here. His rejoinders are   
predictably pathetic. He gets a macho glint in his eye, though his words are calm. Will,   
on the other hand, being the townie that he is, gets pissed, and tries to let me have it.   
They are so unlike Pratt, that is. There's something very strange about the motorcycle   
boy. My taunts, though usually aimed at Ham, don't seem to affect Jake the same way.   
He'll sometimes retort, then laugh me off, as though he can actually ignore me.   
  
I had two encounters with Pratt lately that left me shaking my head. Batboy and batgirl,   
aka Jake and Hamilton, were about to get busy in the common room when I completely   
busted them. As I leaned over Pratt to intimidate him, while reaching for a book, I   
examined him closely for the first time. He tried to stand his ground and ignore me, but   
there was an "off" vibe. Maybe he was embarrassed, maybe he was pissed about being   
interrupted before he could get his - I don't know. Anyway, Jake has the smoothest skin   
I've ever seen on a guy. I'll wager that a razor has never touched that delicate fresh.   
Delicate! That's the word that describes him, especially up close. There is a definite lack   
of testosterone emanating from Jake Pratt.   
  
The second time I felt something strange about Pratt was by the lake. Pratt moped by in a   
long-sleeved black shirt. Forget the fact that it was at least 90 degrees. He's a toothpick   
with nearly a muscle in sight. I've never seen him wear a tank, or even a t-shirt with   
about 5 different layers. Then when he sat down, I swear it looked like he was wearing   
some sort of concoction beneath his shirt. It didn't look like a tank or undershirt, but   
rather, well, it actually looked like the girdle my grandmother used to wear. Hamilton   
came up and assaulted me before I could think clearly about what was under Jake's shirt.   
I should SJB his ass. Anyway, back to Pratt. Maybe he's a cross-dresser, and that was   
his bra! Nah – but I'll find out why Jake Pratt is so puzzling.  
  
  
  
  
Title: Uncovering the Mystery (part 2)  
Author: Tammy  
Email: ficlover@yahoo.com  
Rating: PG-13  
Category: Other  
Disclaimer: I don't own them.  
Summary: Ryder vows to uncover the mystery behind Jake Pratt   
Note: Feedback is greatly appreciated – good or bad, just let me know.  
  
  
Over the next few days I made it my duty to find out as much information as possible   
about Jake. There wasn't much out there. My investigation resulted in the following   
information: Jake Pratt was a computer geek, who probably scored a single room because   
of his hacking abilities. He was on crew – the coxswain, and was nearly always with his   
teammate, Hamilton Flemming. All the guys he quizzed thought Jake and Hamilton were   
together. (No surprise!) Paying so much attention to them, I couldn't believe that it had   
taken him any time at all to realize they were together.   
  
No, they didn't hold hands or kiss in public, but the looks they gave each other alone   
were enough to power Rawley for the semester. It wasn't just the x-rated looks. There   
were enough of those, but the tender looks were the ones that really gave them away.   
The shy glances they would sneak. The way they would hang on each other's words.   
How they were capable of finishing the other's sentences. Under other circumstances   
such a sweet, new love may have touched my concrete heart. Nah! It was lame. They   
were lame. And they were completely gay! Now, the question is how am I going to use   
this to my advantage?  
  
I love harassing Hamilton because he was such a pain in the ass when I first came to   
Rawley. Hamilton took that damned camera everywhere he went. I never forgave him   
for catching him on film with a girl other than my then girlfriend. Then I vowed to make   
Hammie pay some day. My opportunity came when Jake Pratt arrived at Rawley this   
summer. Hamilton followed Pratt around like a lost puppy dog. I can't wait until   
Flemming gets his.  
  
Now as for Jake, I was never very interested in Mr. Pratt – that is – until the day   
Hamilton punched me. But after all that time of not noticing him, I don't like the fact   
that I can't get him out of my mind. Okay, so Pratt and Flemming are gay. That seems a   
little too easy. There must be something else about Pratt, but what? And how can I find   
out?   
  
A devious smile began to cover Ryder's features, as an idea began to form in his sinister   
mind.  
  
  
  
  
  
Title: Uncovering the Mystery (part 3)  
Author: Tammy  
Email: ficlover@yahoo.com  
Rating: PG-13  
Category: Other  
Disclaimer: I don't own them.  
Summary: Ryder vows to uncover the mystery behind Jake Pratt   
Note: Feedback is greatly appreciated – good or bad, just let me know.  
  
  
I waited for my opportunity, and this is it! All week long I waited for Jake to leave his   
room to go to class, and all week long I was rewarded with a locked door. Today he must   
have been in a rush or something, because his door is finally unlocked! I'm pretty sure   
he has class with Finn right now. Knowing Finn he'll probably keep the class late   
babbling about … something.   
  
All I have to do is twist the knob, and I'll have access to Jake's world. The world that   
lies behind this oak door could possibly reveal the answers to all of the questions that   
have been floating in my mind recently. This is so exciting! But what if I'm caught?   
What am I thinking? I'm Ryder. I work best under pressure.   
  
As my hand reached out to the knob I felt chills running up and down my spine. I don't   
know why the prospect of walking into Jake Pratt's room excited me so much. It just did.   
I quickly turned the knob and stepped inside. The room disappointed me at first. It   
looked like any other room at Rawley, except there was only one bed, and it wasn't as   
messy as most of the others I'd seen. Maybe I expected a poster of Barbara Streisand, or   
a tidy little room that didn't have even one pair of boxers out of place.  
  
On the floor near the bed I spotted a black shirt. It looked like the one Jake was wearing   
down at the docks. When I picked it up, I couldn't stop myself from bringing it to my   
face, and inhaling deeply. The shirt held the same faintly sweet odor I noticed that day in   
the library. Although my senses picked up the cologne, the shirt held a strangely non-  
masculine scent.   
  
I wondered if this was how Hamilton felt when he first met Jake. I'm not gay, and I   
don't want him sexually, but damn, I so intrigued! I threw the shirt to the ground in   
disgust. "Okay Ryder," I said aloud, "you're here to dig up some dirt, so dig!"   
  
The first draw I checked had boxers and t-shirts. The next one had an assortment of   
socks. Boring! I kept going through the draws, finding absolutely nothing of interest.   
He had a bunch of Sarah McLaughlin cds. "Maybe the gay community switched from   
Babs to Sarah." I don't know.   
  
This was turning into a very uneventful search. Maybe my imagination had gotten the   
better of me, and there was nothing special to Jake Pratt. It was getting late, and I wanted   
to make sure that I didn't get caught by anyone in his room. I was about to leave when I   
noticed that I had tossed his shirt nearly under his bed. It was no big deal, but I wanted to   
try to leave the room the way it was when I found it. I bent down to pick up the shirt.   
That was when a flash of pink caught my eye. Instead of picking up the shirt, I reached   
for the pink item. My jaw nearly slammed the ground when I saw what it was.   
  
Under Jake Pratt's bed was a little lacy pink bra.  
  
  
Title: Uncovering the Mystery (part 4)  
Author: Tammy  
Email: ficlover@yahoo.com  
Rating: PG-13  
Category: Other  
Disclaimer: I don't own them.  
Summary: Ryder vows to uncover the mystery behind Jake Pratt   
Note: Feedback is greatly appreciated – good or bad, just let me know.  
  
  
"Oh my God!" I exclaimed. "Jake has a bra in his room – a very pretty bra – but a BRA!   
What can this mean?" Is Jake straight, and could this thing belong to a chick? Or, does   
he play the girl when he's with Hamilton? These questions and more filled my brain. I   
could have jumped for joy. This was the kind of excitement I was looking for when I   
came into Jake's room, in the first place. "He has to have something else in here to help   
me figure out just what the hell is going on." My eyes scanned the room. The only place   
I didn't at least look was under the bed.  
  
I was about to get on my knees to check under the bed when I heard a key enter the lock.   
Frantically I searched the room for a place to hide. I hadn't moved a step when the door   
swung open. Jake Pratt stood there, staring at me in shock.   
  
"Ryder!" he screamed, "What the hell are you doing in my room?" He looked pissed.  
  
"And hello to you to, nurse." I was nervous, but my words were surprisingly calm. The   
blood was pumping through my veins, but I couldn't let Jake see me sweat. Before he   
called me out for being in his room, I had to get him on the defensive. Ah, I knew I he   
had something to hide because Jake's mouth opened like he was about to say something,   
then if flapped shut, with not a word muttered. He was nervous about me being in his   
room.   
  
Something crazy was going on here. I just hadn't figured out what, yet. I didn't have a   
clue what to say. Just then I remembered what I was still holding in my hands. Of all the   
things I thought I might find, this bra was not on the list. I had an idea. My confident   
smirk returned.   
  
Jake looked like he had regained his voice, and was about to start saying something.   
Before he could utter a word, I lifted up the bra in my left hand, and raised my left   
eyebrow. Jake stopped in his tracks again. Then he turned around, closed the door, and   
turned the lock. Yes! I got him. For what - I'm still working on that one.  
  
"I'll ask you again," he said. His voice was calm, but the look in his eyes was wild with   
panic. "What are you doing in my room?"  
  
"Who said you could be the one to start with the questions, Jake? I think you lost that   
right when I found this beautiful lacey pink bra. Yours, eh?"  
  
Jake just stared. "What the hell is that?"  
  
I just gave him a look. Either he was a complete idiot, or he thought I was. Then I   
smiled because I knew it would freak him out or piss him off. "Quit the games. You're   
not that clueless."  
  
"Decided to become a cross-dresser, Ryder?" Jake flippantly replied as though he did not   
care. "Don't bring that crap in here." He began to walk towards the door. "Consider   
yourself invited to leave."  
  
I wasn't ready to go anywhere. Jake wasn't going to get off that easily. "You know, that   
day on the docks, I did notice something under your shirt. I guess I know now what it   
was." I held up the bra in front of him pretending to check the fit. Jake's eyes narrowed,   
and ripped the bra from my hand. "All you had to do was ask, honey."  
  
"Ryder," Jake said with a quiet rage. "I'm going to tell you one more time. Get the hell   
out of my room!"  
  
"Some people are so unfriendly." I knew I had scored a victory, so I sauntered towards   
his door. Then I stopped, turning to face Jake. "Now that I come to think of it, there has   
always been something strange and kind of mysterious about you." This time I wasn't   
specifically trying to piss him off. Instead, I was trying to put the pieces together.   
  
"That day in the library I noticed just how smooth your skin was – like it had never been   
touched by a razor." As I was talking, I started slowly towards Jake. I needed to see him   
up close. "Then at the docks, you looked so small – almost fragile compared to the other   
guys here. And under your black shirt – "  
  
Jake retreated until her back came into contact with her closet door. "What do you want   
Ryder?" she whispered, defeated.  
  
"It looked like you were wearing something. Do you have it on now?" I don't know   
why, but I had to know.   
  
Unconsciously my hands began to reach for him, sending Jake from his trance. He   
shoved me away, and bravely asked, "What do you want Ryder?"  
  
"The truth," I answered honestly. "About you."  
  
Jake looked completely shell-shocked. The bravado he tried to put on had deserted him.   
"I need you to leave."   
  
"I want to know why you wear so many layers of clothes all the time, and why your face   
grows no hair, even sideburns. I want to know why your skin is so smooth and looks so   
soft, and why you don't smell like a guy. I – "  
  
"I get the point Ryder. You'll get your answers, but not now." He got up and walked to   
his door. "Leave now!"   
  
My mission was nearly accomplished, so I decided to give him a little time. "By the way,   
Jake," I called over my shoulder as I was leaving. "I advice you not to tell anyone,   
about the fact that I know about you. Not even your lover, Hamilton." Jake continued to   
glare at me, making me decide to move on before the guy made the doorknob a   
permanent part of my anatomy. "I expect to hear from you very soon. I'll be waiting.   
Tootles."   
  
I made it through the doorway just before Jake slammed the door. On my way down the   
hall I ran into Hamilton. He had to notice my self-satisfied grin. He wearily walked pass   
me when I cleared my throat, saying rather loudly, "If you're looking for Jake, I just saw   
him heading towards his bike. I think he was going to town."  
  
Hamilton stopped in his tracks, turned around and looked at me with confusion. "Gee   
thanks," he said hesitantly before turning around and heading towards his house.  
  
"No problem Ham," I said aloud. "I can't have you interrupting Jake now." I made my   
way to my room to wait for Jake's arrival.  
  
  



End file.
